Judges

Gerard Brown III is a screenwriter and former writer in residence with the New York Shakespeare Festival. He has written a number of screenplays and teleplays for the likes of Paramount Pictures and HBO among others. However, his most gratifying artistic accomplishment was PBS's Spike & Co: Do it A Cappella which he conceived, wrote, and co-executive produced and shot at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Margaret Dorn is an award- winning singer, composer, arranger and producer whose work encompasses the recording industry, commercials, film and television, theater, night clubs and the concert stage. As a versatile vocalist and musician she covers a broad range of styles. She has sung with many artists including Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, k.d. lang, Carly Simon, Michael McDonald, Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, Barry Manilow, Michael Feinstein, Diana Ross, Rosanne Cash, Lucie Arnaz, Garth Brooks and The Chieftains. She recently toured the US and Australia with Bette Midler. A highly respected writer and vocal arranger, Margaret’s work includes pop, rock, country, jazz, gospel, r&b, classical, theatrical and some styles that can’t be defined! She has written the score for a new musical, “Faraway Bayou”, featured in the NAMT festival in 2006. She’s always writing and arranging for her elegantly eclectic a cappella group THE ACCIDENTALS. Award winners on both coasts (Back Stage Bistro and 3 MAC Awards in New York; 3 CARA s ), The Accidentals won the Harmony Sweepstakes National Championship-sweeping all the categories in the New York Regional and 3 of the four categories in the National Sweepstakes. With 5 CDs (produced by Margaret), theater and cabaret shows, TV and film scores, and TV appearances (Denis Leary’s “Merry F#$%in’ Christmas”), The AX is still rockin’!

Tyler Hirshey has been involved in a cappella from an early age and has directed various groups throughout the years, beginning with the Kentones, an all male a cappella group from Kent School. While at Hamilton College, in addition to singing with the choir, chamber choir, oratorio society, and the Hamiltones, a coed a cappella group, he directed the Buffers, the only all male group on campus. He founded a male quartet that won the district competition and went on to the international collegiate barbershop quartet contest. Tyler currently sings with the University Glee Club of New York City where he serves on the Board of Directors. He also performs with The Ten, an all male a cappella group comprised of members of the University Glee Club. Most recently, Tyler has been director of Ten and Change, an all male a cappella group in New York.

Ray Leslee is an award winning composer and music director. His compositions for the theatre include AVENUE X, the a cappella musical, (Playwrights Horizons) about racial tensions in New York City circa 1963. “Rediscovering what musicals are all about!” –The NY Times. After an extended run Off-Broadway, AVENUE X went on to some 50 productions around the world winning Best Musical in Dallas, Austin, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles (Ovation Awards) and Philadelphia’s Barrymore Award for Best Musical 1997. He produced the cast album for RCA Victor/BMG Classics. His cabaret musical STANDUP SHAKESPEARE was directed by Mike Nichols for Off-Broadway and revived in 2005 starring Alfred Molina, F. Murray Abraham and Alice Ripley. A GOOD MAN, a blues musical about a Mississippi tenant farmer, premiered in 2006 at the Vienna Chamber Opera in Austria. ROMEO & JULIET FOR ORCHESTRA & ACTORS was performed by the Buffalo Philharmonic and the New Haven Symphony orchestras. As an 18-year-old rock & roll pianist, he toured with such legendary performers as Jay and The Americans, The Platters, Leslie Gore, The Shirelles, The Drifters, The Capris, and Eddie Floyd. Among many awards and commissions Ray received The Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theatre Award in 1997 and was honored at Lincoln Center for his contribution to the American theatre.

Jonathan Minkoff has directed various a cappella groups since 1984. Six of those years were spent as the Founder and Artistic Director of the full-time men's a cappella rock quartet, Blind Man's Bluff. While directing and performing with Bluff, he toured nationally, recorded radio and TV commercials, shared the stage with national recording artists like All-4-One, headlined the Improv Comedy Club, and singing the anthem for the World Champion Chicago Bulls. He has received numerous musical awards including the National Harmony Sweepstakes' Best Original Song and Best Original Composition, Chicago's Sweeps Champion, and Chicago's Audience Favorite. Minkoff judged both collegiate and professional a cappella competitions including the New York and Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes, NCHSA and NCCA. For his own vocal compositions, Minkoff was selected as one of only two composers in the prestigious New York City Genesius Guild's Revolutionary Writers program. Jonathan has been the Executive Director and Producer for the East Coast A cappella Summit since 2003 and he is currently serving his third term as the President of CASA - The Contemporary A Cappella Society, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the furtherance of a cappella music. In late 2004 Minkoff received national attention as a featured expert in a cappella music on The Jane Pauley Show where he also musically directed, arranged for, and performed with the Jane Pauley Singers. Minkoff runs a vocal-centered recording studio, "Minkoff Arts, LLC", where he records, writes and produces for various artists like: former Boston Harmony Sweepstakes Champions, Ball In the House, Vocal Percussionist Extraordinaire, Wes Carroll, Voiceover Queen, Diana Preisler and others. In 2005, Minkoff joined the pop funk a cappella band, Blue Jupiter as a pro temp member. He is now their producer. Personal Motto: sleep is for the weak.